What's your best memory associated with the program and what's a challenging one?

[Cicero10]

So when I say challenging, I mean a road bump associated with the program. Whether its associated with working, roommates, Disney itself, the guests, money, etc.

 

[Lyanne and Stitch]

So when I say challenging, I mean a road bump associated with the program. Whether its associated with working, roommates, Disney itself, the guests, money, etc.

I have so many amazing memories which vary from meeting my boyfriend to being named cast member of the month at my quick service location!! Not to mention all the hugs I got from happy little kids!!!! :

My most challenging memory was with a guest that got incredibly mad at me for essentially doing my job...
I was about to start working at a cash register that has a line on both sides and let all the guest know that both sides were lines because they were all in the right. I attend the guest to my right and then I go to my left and the next lady to my right starts arguing with me that she was next and how dare I not take her order. I apologized and took her order but she was still furious. I wished her a nice day like I did with everybody and she says something like: I will as soon as I talk to your manager!
So she talks to my manager and then he takes me to the back and asks me what happened, I tell him and he says not to worry that I did the right thing and it seems like she just wasn't having a good day.
The whole thing had me a bit down since it was never my intention to upset a guest! And it was the start of my shift!!! Nevertheless, I decided not to let it ruin my day and then I continued with my usual cheery self! Well it worked because later in the day another guest thanked me for being so cheerful and always having a smile for everybody!! She made my day!!!

So that was a challenging day but ended being pretty good!! Haha

 

[Cicero10]

I have so many amazing memories which vary from meeting my boyfriend to being named cast member of the month at my quick service location!! Not to mention all the hugs I got from happy little kids!!!! :

My most challenging memory was with a guest that got incredibly mad at me for essentially doing my job...
I was about to start working at a cash register that has a line on both sides and let all the guest know that both sides were lines because they were all in the right. I attend the guest to my right and then I go to my left and the next lady to my right starts arguing with me that she was next and how dare I not take her order. I apologized and took her order but she was still furious. I wished her a nice day like I did with everybody and she says something like: I will as soon as I talk to your manager!
So she talks to my manager and then he takes me to the back and asks me what happened, I tell him and he says not to worry that I did the right thing and it seems like she just wasn't having a good day.
The whole thing had me a bit down since it was never my intention to upset a guest! And it was the start of my shift!!! Nevertheless, I decided not to let it ruin my day and then I continued with my usual cheery self! Well it worked because later in the day another guest thanked me for being so cheerful and always having a smile for everybody!! She made my day!!!

So that was a challenging day but ended being pretty good!! Haha

So are managers very understanding? I'd be going into the culinary program, and I'm kinda worried that if I didn't make a dish as good as the others I would get fired or terminated. I also have a strong worry that (I hope this would never happen) if I didn't fully cook something like a steak I could get fired. (Idk what I'd be preparing in the culinary program so I'm just using those as examples)

Do you think managers in the culinary program would be understanding, if say someone ordered a medium rare steak and I cooked it rare? I read some web page that said managers are extremely strict and would fire you over the smallest error, so I don't know if that's true or not.

Cause after all, even after culinary school, some chefs can make mistakes, even stupid mistakes like undercooking chicken.

 

[leeg229]

My favorite memory from the program was when a bunch of CPs from my area entered the Canoe races. We were the Sunset Canoe Crew and we got to race around tom sawyer island about 4 different times before we lost in the first official race. It was so much fun and we all got unique trading pins and "CROWpocalypse" t-shirts. (CROW=canow races of the world)

The most challenging thing I remember was this guest DOGGING me about how it was my fault it started raining and tricked him into buying ponchos when I knew it would stop raining 10 minutes later. I just told him that at least next time it rains he'll be prepared and won't need to spend the money again.

 

[Hollsey]

I honestly don't think it's possible to pick a favorite memory. There are just so many! But one that really stands out to me was when I was having a rough week at the end of August, so about a month and a half into my program. Anybody that works at Disney will probably tell you that July can be tricky because of all of the Guests and such, so I was just kind of worn out (it was my first job, so everything was new to me). I was working in one of our "shops" (if you know the All Star Food Courts, it's one of the stations where you can serve Guests food), and I noticed a college-aged girl in a t-shirt with my school's name on it, so I obviously asked her if she was a student at my school, and she said happily said yes and was very excited! The next day, I was out in dining room cleaning tables, and she pointed me out to her family. Who I'm presuming to be her dad stood up and did the "Down the Drive" cheer that all of the students at my school do at all of our games, and then he mocked polishing my name tag for me. They called me their "Bearcat Buddy" and came to visit me every night. Made my week, and it was a good boost because it felt like I had family around for a week!

The most challenging thing I think was learning how to deal with challenging guests in a way where you're killing them with kindness. No matter how rude a Guest is to you, it's expected that you never give it back to them. Some guests just make you want to curl up in a ball, but then you focus on other good Guest interactions and it's a lot better. With my experience of working at Disney and where I work now (at a tourist destination in my area), for every bad Guest you encounter you can probably find two good ones.

As far as picky managers are concerned, I honestly think it depends on who you're working with. During my program, I started dating one of our Culinary CPs, and from what he told me, each chef that he worked with was different. Some were pickier than others, some expected more from you than others.

 

[Cicero10]

My favorite memory from the program was when a bunch of CPs from my area entered the Canoe races. We were the Sunset Canoe Crew and we got to race around tom sawyer island about 4 different times before we lost in the first official race. It was so much fun and we all got unique trading pins and "CROWpocalypse" t-shirts. (CROW=canow races of the world)

The most challenging thing I remember was this guest DOGGING me about how it was my fault it started raining and tricked him into buying ponchos when I knew it would stop raining 10 minutes later. I just told him that at least next time it rains he'll be prepared and won't need to spend the money again.

Haha that's hilarious! Yeah, you secretly made it rain for 10 minutes. Ya know, cause Disney controls the weather lol!

 

[Lyanne and Stitch]

So are managers very understanding? I'd be going into the culinary program, and I'm kinda worried that if I didn't make a dish as good as the others I would get fired or terminated. I also have a strong worry that (I hope this would never happen) if I didn't fully cook something like a steak I could get fired. (Idk what I'd be preparing in the culinary program so I'm just using those as examples)

Do you think managers in the culinary program would be understanding, if say someone ordered a medium rare steak and I cooked it rare? I read some web page that said managers are extremely strict and would fire you over the smallest error, so I don't know if that's true or not.

Cause after all, even after culinary school, some chefs can make mistakes, even stupid mistakes like undercooking chicken.

I'm really not sure how culinary works but no matter what the location, managers are just people with different personalities and different leadership styles so they react differently to the same situation.
Then again, it is Disney so most of the managers I had were very understanding.
Just focus on doing your best and if they see that for one thing wrong you've done everything else right, I'm sure they'll understand.

 

[Cicero10]

I'm really not sure how culinary works but no matter what the location, managers are just people with different personalities and different leadership styles so they react differently to the same situation.
Then again, it is Disney so most of the managers I had were very understanding.
Just focus on doing your best and if they see that for one thing wrong you've done everything else right, I'm sure they'll understand.

When I think of Disney managers I think of two different things
1. Very understanding and generous
2. Very strict and hardened

Lol I don't know why, probably cause Disney is so big and powerful and they can't risk anything not being perfect. But it certainly is comforting hearing they're understanding

 

[elphie101]

Without a doubt the best memories from my college program are all about the people; the general consensus from every I talk to is that the people you meet and the friends you make are hands-down the best part of the experience. Especially for me as a MK CM working all the special fall events - MNSSHP (and getting to see the parade!) and New Years Eve especially. Yes it was crazy, but December 30th/31st were two of the best shifts I ever worked my entire 7 months on the CP. True teamwork and true friendship.

My worst memory is not about angry guests, but of a whole different nature; I once had to call emergency services for a family when a mother tripped over her toddler son when he ran in front of her and dropped her 10-month old daughter she was carrying in her arms (at least 4 1/2 feet high) flat onto the concrete, right as the evening parade was letting out and everyone was streaming back into Tomorrowland. Trying to keep the family calm as best we could while giving them privacy was hard enough, but I don't think I'll ever forget how scared that mother was for her daughter; I never found out what happened to the baby (she wasn't displaying any alarming signs at the time but of course they took her to the hospital to get checked out) but I've always prayed that she was ok.

In terms of angry guests well, those stories are more funny than upsetting. I once had an elderly couple tell me I was violating the Americans With Disabilities Act and I was the rudest cast member they had encountered in 25 years - just because their FPs were expired and one of them happened to be in a wheelchair. You win some you lose some!

 

[indianabrit]

My best memory is being able to look out from my workplace and see the castle every single day!

My worst memory by far: My roommate and I had gone to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. We sat down right in front of the castle to wait for the show (we were about an hour early). When the show started my roommate nudged me to get up, so we stand and about halfway through the show I turn around because I feel like something isn't quite right.

...Everyone is sitting down...

...Everyone except for my roommate and I...

I broke out into a cold sweat and poked my RM. "Everyone is sitting." I hissed. "It's too late now. Just stay standing."

I started fidgeting because I knew that this wasn't going to be good when the show was over. We had become rude guests that CM's/other guests complain about.

The show ends and the woman sitting down next to us (who pulled her daughter down to sit) looked up at as and said "That was very rude, girls. VERY RUDE." Then a woman came up to me and started yelling "NONE OF US COULD SEE. YOU ARE IDIOTS. DO YOU KNOW HOW STUPID YOU LOOKED?" and then a few more. I just stood there. My jaw had dropped to the floor. This went on until my roommate grabbed my arm and yelled "IGNORE THEM."

I felt soooo bad. I cried in the bathroom for about 30 minutes. Looking back on it I have realized a few things:

• I should have probably sat down when I realized that everyone was sitting.
• Who the heck sits down during a castle show? Usually, people have like twenty kids balanced on their shoulders!
• Those ladies were totally out of line.
• Had I not been a cast member at the time I would have completely lost my marbles.

 

[uttom300]

I dont have a favorite memory, there really are too many to choose from.

I worked PAC at MK, so dealing with challenging situations was an everyday occurrance. I would have to say that probably my most challenging situation occurred on New Years Eve. By far the busiest day I ever worked and it proved impossible to work. The only time I worked where the managers pulled us off our locations and just told us to watch the fireworks.